Ask the experts

About our experts...

At John Charcol, we are constantly asked for advice by borrowers on what they should do when it comes to mortgages.  As such, we created this section so that you can submit your questions to our experts.  The answers are provided by a number of people who have years of experience in the mortgage market.  The team is led by Peter Woodward who works in our technical department.  Peter spent his formative years as an underwriter with one of the major UK lenders so what he doesn't know, quite frankly, isn't worth knowing...

So please do submit your question and we will do all we can to answer it as quickly as possible

Please be aware that these answers can only be generic and no personal recommendations can be made.


Posted on 29 October 2007

We have a house valued at £325,000 with an out standing mortgage of £40,000.We are now both retired and don't want to move. I am 67 with a pension of £10,000 pa. My wife has a pension of £8,000 pa.Would we be able to get an...

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Category: Mortgages in retirement


Posted on 29 October 2007

Please can you Help. We have a £85,000 mortgage with the Abbey, fixed for another 6 months, and took out a loan for 25,000 with First Plus, what a mistake, to pay off credit cards etc. We now have to move with my husbands job. We...

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Category: Buy-to-let, Remortgaging, Secured loans


Posted on 29 October 2007

If my house is mortgaged in my husbands name only can he transfer it to me or will i need to buy and re-mortgage the house in my name, how do i do that?

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Category: Special circumstances


Posted on 29 October 2007

We intend to set up home in The Irish Republic, a few miles outside London Derry(NI). We are looking for a good deal (as usual) we recently sold our property in Northern Ireland, my business is in NI and income in sterling...

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Category: Foreign Currency or foreign tracking rate mortgages


Posted on 29 October 2007

I want to buy a flat for my son. He is a student with no real income so I would act as Guarantor. I run a business which had a good year last year but sales 2007 to date are down making me think a self cert is best. Whats the...

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Category: Self-certification


Posted on 25 October 2007

Hi, I owe around £260k on my mortgage but my property with 7 beds, swimming pool bar, cinema, etc (i built the house out my saving) has been valued around £800-900K by a local estate agent, but i now want to buy a property in...

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Category: Buying abroad, Foreign Currency or foreign tracking rate mortgages


Posted on 22 October 2007

I’ve recently separated from my girlfriend shortly after we bought a house together via a joint mortgage. The reason for the separation was because of domestic violence from her against me. The repayments were set up to go out of...

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Category: Separation or Divorce


Posted on 21 October 2007

My mother in law purchased a £120.000 property with her daughter after her husband died. My mother in law paid 60% cash outright and sister in law has a mortgage for the remainder. They are now not getting along and the daughter...

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Category: Legal matters


Posted on 20 October 2007

I am 50, wish to buy my husband out of marital home as we are separating. Property mortgage free.value £160,000. Loan required £80,000. Can I apply for a buy to let mortgage to purchase amount of rental earning required? What...

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Category: Buy-to-let


Posted on 19 October 2007

Hello, I bought a 25% (£80000) stake in a shared ownership property 5 years ago which was valued then at £320000. I'm remortgaging shortly as the 5 year fixed rate mortgage period is ending. I have a faultless payment record and...

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Category: Shared ownership


Posted on 18 October 2007

Hi l want to assist my son to purchase a house, could we buy a property jointly and combine our salaries to obtain a mortgage?

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Category: First-time buyer, Guaranteeing & buying with child


Posted on 18 October 2007

Most of your mortgage deals require valuation. If I have a recent valuation would it be accepted by the bank so I don't have to pay valuation fee twice? Who could advise me about this when it comes to buy a product through...

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Category: Remortgaging


Posted on 16 October 2007

I have just found out from my widowed mother in law that she is still paying for a mortgage on her house and she's 76. It appears my father in law took out a mortgage called a life time mortgage with the Halifax and no life...

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Category: Interest only vs repayment


Posted on 15 October 2007

I own a house, that has previously been granted planning permission on the side/garden land for a two storey extension. This elapsed but I've now submitted plans again for 3 x 2 bed flats. I have £175,000 outstanding...

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Category: Self-build


Posted on 15 October 2007

I have a debt plan with CCCS. i owe 52k and have made regular payments for a year but 2 creditors are saying they are to take court proceedings for the amount i owe them. i am in the midst of divorce proceedings and need to find...

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Category: Bad credit


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